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National Resources Committee 



of the apparatus to be gained only by a responsible 

 association with them. 



For the usual operations of a library — for the clas- 

 sification and cataloguing, and the conventional refer- 

 ence and bibliogi-aphic service— the congressional 

 appropriation provides the Library with a staff un- 

 surpassed in its efficiency; and this can be further 

 developed from within or replenished from the ranks 

 of the profession. In addition to this, specialists are 

 needed in certain fields, not in mere library tech- 

 nique but in the subject matter: men definitely educated 

 in the science or cultivated in the art involved — with 

 the equipment to teach it or to pursue research in it, 

 but who find a larger interest in interpreting — vitaliz- 

 ing — the literature of it for the benefit of the student, 

 the investigator, and the public at large; who, under- 

 standing the problem of the investigator, are able to 

 translate his need into the language of the classifica- 

 tion and tile catalogue, and who (in other fields) hav- 

 ing the appreciations of the connoisseur, are able to 

 converse with him in his own "language" — and whose 

 influence may thus be potent not only in interpi-eting 

 our own collections, but in bringing to us the gift of 

 collections already formed. 



The incumbents of 'the "chairs" are drawn from 

 teaching and research positions. They are familiar 

 with our collections, expert in the use of our apparatus, 

 skilled also in the interpretation of a need into the 

 language of the collections and the apparatus. With 

 this equipment they render an advisory service of value 

 both to the general inquirer and the research investi- 

 gator. 



Neither a teaching faculty nor a research faculty, 

 composed of individuals competent to do either but 

 foregoing these to be of aid to others, their service will 

 be the interpretation of the collections and guidance 

 in the use of them. 



Such specialists exist in the faculties of universities 

 or upon the staffs of research organizations. They can 

 render much more efficient aid to the investigator than 

 can be expected from the bibliographers and reference 

 staff alone. 



Such men as these the usual governmental stipend 

 cannot be counted upon to attract and hold. Endow- 

 ments are needed whose income, added to the funds 

 already available, will enable the Library to secure 

 men competent for this highly specialized service. 



A precedent for this was set in the endowment, in 

 1925, by Mrs. Frederic S. Coolidge, of the Division of 

 Music, which included provision for an annual hon- 

 orarium to the Chief of the Division in addition to his 

 governmental salary. The explanation is the special 

 duties and responsibilities — and inevitable personal ex- 

 pense—imposed upon him in the execution of her 



trusts; but the result is to insure expert conduct in the 

 administration of that Division, a specialist there who 

 will not merely be an authority in the subject matter, 

 but widely influential in the application of it to the 

 service of the Science, the Art, and the Profession. 

 This was, therefore, analogous to the endowment, or 

 the part endowment, of a Chair of Music. 



Since 1925 endowments have been secured which pro- 

 vide for four other chairs. The complete list is now 

 in consequence as follows : 



1. Chair of Music (Division of Music). Estab- 

 lished January, 1925, by Mrs. Frederic S. Coolidge. 



The incumbent of the Chair of Music has adminis- 

 trative direction of tlie Division of Music and of its 

 collections, including operations in the acquisition, 

 preparation, and service of music and musical litera- 

 ture including manuscripts and rare items and of 

 cognate material such as phonograph recoi'ds and 

 music rolls. He has supervision over the Archive of 

 American Folk-Song. He is responsible for the ex- 

 penditure of a number of special funds for the acqui- 

 sition of unusual materials. He organizes the concerts 

 provided by the Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge Founda- 

 tion and the Gertrude Clarke Whittall Foundation, ar- 

 ranging programmes, engaging artists, and managing 

 the funds involved. He is responsible for the dis- 

 charge of the obligations of the Library under these 

 and other donations, and he is its representative at 

 musical congresses and conventions. 



2. The William Evarts Benjamin Chair of Ameri- 

 can History, mentioned above, though intended for the 

 benefit of all who come to use materials, manuscript or 

 printed, on American history, is naturally most closely 

 associated with the Division of Manuscripts where the 

 most recently available sources are expected to be 

 found. The incumbent (Professor St. George L. 

 Sioussat, beginning June, 1938) is, of course, an ex 

 pert in American history and in historical investiga- 

 tion, and has knowledge of the printed sources cur- 

 rently received as well as of the manuscript sources; 

 and it is his particular province to serve those who 

 come for extended research. 



3. Chair of Fine Arts (Division of Fine Arts). 

 Established April 1927, by the Carnegie Corporation 

 of New York. 



The grant which enabled the establishment of the 

 Chair of Fine Arts was made in recognition of the 

 fact that the Division of Fine Arts "may exercise a 

 considerable influence in promoting an appreciation 

 and understanding of fine arts in this country; and 

 that the amount and quality of this influence will de- 

 pend upon the qualities and abilities of the specialist 

 in conduct of the division." The incumbent of the 

 Chair is therefore the administrative officer of the Di- 



